Plasma based systems for synthesizing nanopowders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,514,349; 5,874,684; and 6,472,632. The axial electrothermal gun embodiment disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,632 is an improvement over the plasma based synthesis systems of the '349 and '684 patents. The '632 system uses a high powered pulsed arc discharge in combination with an axial electrothermal gun to attain a higher temperature and higher density of the plasma that is not ordinarily attainable by the other plasma based synthesis systems. The higher temperature and higher density provides a higher production rate of nanopowder.
A still further improvement in nanopowder production is provided by the nanopowder synthesis system disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/455,292, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,639. Referring to FIG. 3 of the Application, two indexable electrodes of a radial gun are substantially axially aligned, but spaced apart opposite to each other within a gaseous atmosphere, and connected to a high power, pulsed discharge power supply. The electrodes are composed of a precursor material which is ablated by the energy created by a discharge of the power supply to form a high temperature (of the order of 50,000° K.), high density metal plasma that acts to sustain the electrical discharge from the pulsed power supply. The plasma so created is quenched by and/or reacts with the gaseous atmosphere to achieve higher yields of nanopowders comprised of more uniform and smaller sized nanoparticles. Further, such improvements are realized with the consumption of less energy than is required by the other known prior art systems.
A reoccurring problem in the above prior art systems is that the arc discharge may occur from time to time at other than the center of the electrodes. In this event, the resistance of the discharge arc is decreased, and less energy may be added to the arc discharge for a given arc current. The plasma that is created thus may be of a lower temperature and/or lower density than otherwise could be attained. As a result, production rates are decreased, and the material produced is of a non-uniform quality.
FIG. 4 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/455,292, which issues as U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,639, discloses a composite electrode embodiment of the above radial gun, where the electrodes are each seated within hollow ablative bodies to form composite electrodes. Although the discharge arc may emanate from the edges of the anode and cathode electrodes, it will remain near the center of the composite electrodes to approach the high temperatures and high densities that otherwise would be available if the discharge arc emanated from the centers of the anode and cathode electrodes.
In the present invention, further improvements are made in the synthesis of nanopowders by applying a high magnetic field to electrodes of precursor material during the time that an electrical discharge arc is generated between the electrodes. Higher production yields thereby are attained than that achievable by the above prior art nanopowder synthesizing systems. Further improvement is obtained if a magnet insert of coating precursor material is used to reduce agglomeration of the nanopowder particles.